Kinecting the Future
November 23, 2010 Leave a comment
After “experimenting” the new Kinect for more than 48 hours, I have a strong hunch that this wireless motion device is definitely more than just a gaming gadget. In fact, for all I could foretell, this could be the next spark for the next wave of home innovations. It is going to be the next big revolution that changes the way we interact with all our home devices.
Kinect is highly “intelligent”, user-friendly and most importantly – affordable! This device not only able to detect movement, it is also has the ability to profile every single users (by body shape, voices and “faces”). Already, Kinect Technology is finding its way into future television. It will be very soon when your new TV screen comes with built-in Kinect sensors. Soon, remote controls will be obsolete. Gesture activations will be the next in thing. Want to switch channel, just wave your hand in a particular direction, the sensors will be able to switch to the next channel or even skip chapters on your blue-ray disc. Volume control will make you look like the conductor of a symphony. It is all about gesture-activation. With these cameras on board, you can now connect your television to the internet. Through WIFI or direct LAN connection, “Facetime-like” communication will be a breeze. Imagine chatting with your friend and watching a soccer match together. And think outside the current TV screen – this can be integrated with projectors and your music player!
If proved popular, this simple device will extend itself outside the TV and gaming console. Just let the mind goes wild for a moment. Imagine installing a 360-degree Kinect sensors in your living room. Your presence will be recognize the very second you walk into the space. Your very own digital home “butler” will be able to greet you and serve your with every gesture of your finger. Point in the direction at the lamp, it will turn on. Gesture at a specific spot of the wall and it reveals the time. Wave your hand and your curtain will be drawn.
In fact, it may be so powerful that Kinect (if connected to the worldwide frame) is able to record and analyze how you spend your day. Imagine it is able to break down the hours you spend at home watching TV, eating, sleeping or on the computer. It is also a handy device that records important moments of your life at home (birthdays, first kiss, dinners). With a powerful sensor, the future Kinect can also be programmed to recognize your everyday items and be able to “locate” their whereabouts in your own messy house. So, you will have no worry where you misplaced your wallet or keys. Scan your space and it will tell you that it is time to water your plants. Or an alert to inform you that a stray rat has just enter your premise.
It will also be a “Green Device”. With its ability to detect motion and heat signatures, it will be able to detect your surrounding and manage your lighting settings & space temperature in your house. Imagine the auto-brightness sensor on your iPhone, the future Kinect will be able to sense the environment/activity and tune the ambiance to suit your needs. It will be far smarter than the current “motion on/off lights”.
So, don’t just write off Kinect as a toy. These imaginations are becoming real sooner than we expected. The revolution has already begun. This may even replace the big touch screens you see today!
12 years away from home - Singapore. Writing my stories here for my lovely mum & dad, friends and most importantly, for my wife & son back home. A self-confessed gadget freak, a spontaneous prankster on the outside and a warm loving heart inside. Enjoying a happy life with loving families, friends plus a dream job. Realising mum’s motto – “Exceed Yourself Every Day”. Always believing that “Simplicity is Beauty”.
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